Included in the list are 10 English Premiership based players, from Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.
Liverpool's Michael Owen is nominated, as are Arsenal's quintet; Thierry Henry, Sol Campbell, Robert Pires, Sylvain Wiltord, and Patrick Vieira.
They are joined by Manchester United duo Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes, as well as our very own Adrian Mutu and Claude Makalele.
Last year's winner Ronaldo is also in the running for the honour, while Milan captain Paolo Maldini and Juventus ace Pavel Nedved are thought to be the two favourites for the award.
Other outstanding names such as Zinedine Zidane, Christian Vieri, David Beckham have also been selected.
Full list of candidates:
(Have a look through and try to find one Chelsea HAVEN'T been linked to!)
Pablo Aimar (Argentina - Valencia, Spain) Michael Ballack (Germany - Bayern Munich, Germany) David Beckham (England - Real Madrid, Spain) Gianluigi Buffon (Italy - Juventus, Italy) Sol Campbell (England - Arsenal, England) Iker Casillas (Spain - Real Madrid, Spain) Christian Chivu (Romania - Roma, Italy) Deco (Portugal - Porto, Portugal) Alessandro Del Piero (Italy - Juventus, Italy) Dida (Brazil - Milan, Italy) Giovane Elber (Brazil - Lyon, France) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon - Mallorca, Spain) Luis Figo (Portugal - Real Madrid, Spain) Ludovic Giuly (France - Monaco, France) Thierry Henry (France - Arsenal, England) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden - Ajax, Netherlands) Filippo Inzaghi (Italy - Milan, Italy) Oliver Kahn (Germany - Bayern Munich, Germany) Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands - Barcelona, Spain) Jan Koller (Czech Republic - Borussia Dortmund, Germany) Darko Kovacevic (Serbia & Montenegro - Real Sociedad, Spain) Henrik Larsson (Sweden - Celtic, Scotland) Roy Makaay (Netherlands - Bayern Munich, Germany) Claude Makelele (France - Chelsea, England) Paolo Maldini (Italy - Milan, Italy) Adrian Mutu (Romania - Chelsea, England) Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic - Juventus, Italy) Alessandro Nesta (Italy - Milan, Italy) Nihat Kahveci (Turkey - Real Sociedad, Spain) Michael Owen (England - Liverpool, England) Pauleta (Portugal - Paris St Germain, France) Robert Pires (France - Arsenal, England) Raul (Spain - Real Madrid, Spain) Roberto Carlos (Brazil - Real Madrid, Spain) Ronaldinho (Brazil - Barcelona, Spain) Ronaldo (Brazil - Real Madrid, Spain) Michel Salgado (Spain - Real Madrid, Spain) Paul Scholes (England - Manchester United, England) Andrei Shevchenko (Ukraine - Milan, Italy) Lilian Thuram (Italy - Juventus, Italy) Francesco Toldo (Italy - Internazionale, Italy) Francesco Totti (Italy - Roma, Italy) Hatem Trabelsi (Tunisia - Ajax, Netherlands) David Trezeguet (France - Juventus, Italy) Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Netherlands - Manchester United, England) Patrick Vieira (France - Arsenal, England) Christian Vieri (Italy - Internazionale, Italy) Sylvain Wiltord (France - Arsenal, England) Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy - Juventus, Italy) Zinedine Zidane (France - Real Madrid, Spain)